Valentine's Day Sale
by Vietta
Summary: Reno and Aerith end up spending Valentine's Day together


The squeaking of her cart let him know she was coming before any visual evidence of the fact told him so and he mustered up a smile, tossing his cigarette onto the ground. He wasn't sure why, but he just didn't smoke around Aerith. Had anyone else been walking past, he wouldn't have cared a bit about their sensitivities to his habit, but since it was her, he made an exception. Clearing his throat as she came into view, the scent of flowers mingling with the lingering scent of his cigarette, he greeted her. "Hey, Aerith, the flowers sellin' good today?"

"They are." Her smile dazzled him as she spoke and he felt his forced grin become more genuine at the sight of her easy joy. She stopped her cart next to him, wiping her hands on her skirt before handling the delicate stems riding in front of her. "Would you like one? It's a perfect gift for that special someone, especially on Valentine's Day!"

Shaking his head, he watched her pick a flower for him from the cart. He normally bought a few when he passed her, for sake of helping a friend's business if nothing else, but today he couldn't bring himself to. "Sorry, Aerith. My special someone kicked me to the curb. No flowers for me today."

"Oh, that's too bad." Her concern was genuine and it struck him as strange that she could be so naturally empathetic. She smiled again and wafted a flower under his nose, her bracelets clinking as she moved. "You could buy one and give it to me then, seeing as you're unattached."

Laughing, he took the flower by the stem, wiping his hands on his trousers before he did so. He didn't think his calloused and nicotine stained fingers were particularly good for the poor flower, but he took it anyways. "Give the flower girl flowers?"

"Well, of course!" Bracelets clicked again as she set her hands on her hips, a playful smile on her face. "All girls love flowers, even the ones who sell them!"

Shaking his head, he dug his hand into his wallet and set a gil note in her hand. "I think I'll take the flower then."

"And?" She pocketed the note and held her hand out again expectantly.

"And maybe I want to keep this one." He grinned, sniffing the flower. They were highly fragrant and the smell was not unpleasant, like many flowers he had had the misfortune of purchasing from vendors other than Aerith in the past. Her flowers were sweet and delicate, the petals soft as silk and the stem fragile enough that, just by pinching it gently between his fingers, he was afraid he was crushing it flat. There were no flowers quite like them anywhere else.

"Meanie!" She crossed her hands over her chest and pouted becomingly. She could be damned manipulative when she put her mind to it, Reno noticed. Hell, she had Tseng wrapped around her little finger without apparent effort. It was a talent, to be certain.

"Alright, alright." He laughed and kissed the flower gently before reaching forward and touching the same petals to her lips, winking cheekily. "Have a flower and an indirect kiss."

She giggled and kissed the flower, taking it in hand and moving back to the cart. "You're such a charmer when you want to be, Reno."

Before he even realized he was doing it, he had taken the handles of the cart from her and given another wink, more brazenly kissing her cheek this time. "Come on, flower girl. Let's go make you some money."

Pushing his shoulder playfully, she shook her head and led him forward. "You Turks are so easy! How can anyone find you scary?"

"Everyone else isn't you." Rolling his eyes, he hefted the surprisingly heavy cart and followed her without being asked. He supposed he might be wrapped around her little finger right along with Tseng. It was hard not to be when she was so sweet to everyone.

"Good to know I'm special." She sniffed the flower Reno had 'given' to her, a smile on her face.

"Of course you're special, Aerith. You're you." The cart squeaked as he followed her down the street, helping sell flowers to the romance hungry throngs of Midgar.


End file.
